Microsoft Calling Home Problem

Here's one that's going to anger many of you. Just when you though Microsoft's image couldn't get any worse, the relative new WGA tool is now a source of scrutiny.  It seems that the WGA tool is phoning home and transmitting data about your PC to Microsoft on every boot.  What kind of data you ask?  Groklaw's got the details.

"No doubt many of you saw on Slashdot the article "Microsoft Talks Daily With Your Computer" or in Steven J. Vaughan-Nichols article for eWeek titled, Big Microsoft Brother, about allegations that Microsoft's Windows Genuine Advantage validation tool phones home daily to report information to Microsoft about you on each boot. Lauren Weinstein broke the story on his blog. Microsoft has now put out a statement, asserting that the Windows Genuine Advantage tool is not spyware, that they're going to change it some, and that one thing that distinguishes it from spyware is that they get consent before installing it. I question the accuracy of the statement."